Chargers 2023 UDFA Profile: OT Nic Melsop

Melsop was a DII Second-Team All-American

Nicolas Melsop hails from Columbus, Ohio where he starred for Olentangy Orange High School as a senior. Unlike many players who wind up getting a shot in the NFL, Melsop didn’t find himself starting at any position on his school’s varsity team until his final prep season.

After initially committing to play at DII Lake Erie College, Melsop played just one season there before transferring to fellow DII program Delta State. After redshirting his first season at the school in 2018, Melsop would start 10 games as sophomore where he helped the offense average just under 200 yards per game on the ground.

Following the canceled 2020 season, Melsop appeared in nine games as a junior en route to earning Second-Team All-Gulf South Conference honors. He then capped off his collegiate career with a stellar showing as a senior that helped him earn DII Second-Team All-American honors

At his size, Melsop moves surprisingly well with ideal knee bend to get up under defenders. This was refreshing to see as most linemen his size will struggle to gain proper leverage. At the DII level, you’re often dealing players who are smaller in some way compared to DI prospects, so there was plenty of opportunities to work on such an important concept of trench play.

Per NFL Draft Diamonds, Melsop posted athletic testing numbers of 5.29 in the 40-yard dash, a 27.5” vertical, and 8’2” broad, and a 4.88 in the short shuttle. Luckily, he looks like a much smoother athlete on tape.

The Chargers are as deep as they’ve been in recent memory across the offensive line as they utilized four picks over the past two years on the group, headlined by two first-rounders. It’ll be a tough fight for Melsop to make the team, but if he can outplay swing tackle Foster Sarell, that’s likely his best chance of sticking around past the summer.